Diverter valves have been known for sometime for a variety of purposes. They are well known for use in bidets, tub-shower combinations and whirlpools. In bidets, the water flow may be diverted from the rim of the bidet to a spray outlet located towards the front of the bidet. It is also known to incorporate back-flow preventers or vacuum breakers in such diverter valves in order to prevent contamination of the potable water supply.
There has been disclosed, a diverter valve for use with a bidet with an integrally formed vacuum breaker in U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,438 issued May 20, 1986 to Silvano Breda. The diverter valve comprises a main body chamber with inlet and outlet openings, a centrally disposed vertical inlet tube having a floating vacuum breaker assembly at its remote end movable in response to changes in flow direction and pressure, the main chamber having another cylinder mounted therein with lateral openings, which openings may selectively engage the lateral oulet openings of the central chamber.
In British Pat. Application No. GB 2 184 205 A, published June 17, 1987 in the name of Twyfords Limited, there is described a bidet valve which includes a hand actuated diverter and a pop-up waste control. The fitting does not include a vacuum breaker or back-flow preventer. The diverter may be mounted in a spray nozzle or piping thereto and permits flow to be diverted by actuating a quarter turn ring to positively seat and unseat a valve which controls flow path access. The pop-up waste control rod is quite separate in operation and location from the diverter valve.
The use of ceramic valve discs in mixing valves for plumbing is known. An example of one arrangement is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,885 issued Oct. 20, 1987 to Knebel wherein three ceramic discs are used in a housing having two inlets and one outlet, the disc on the inlet side is stationary, while the second disc can be turned from outside to control flow volume, and the third disc can be slid linearly against the second disc for temperature adjustment by means of a manually adjustable thermostat. The second disc is immovably secured to a shaft of a motor regulator. This assembly is complex and requires two separate controls for operation of the discs.
Bidets are becoming very popular in North America, although they have been in general use in Europe for quite a long time. In order to gain CSA and UL approval for faucets, valves, and the like, used in conjunction with bidets and other plumbing fixtures, where there could be backflow of contaminated water into the potable water supply, it is necessary that one incorporate a vacuum breaker or back-flow preventer means therein. However, European faucets, valves, etc., do not require the incorporation of any such means as their standards are different. Since the evolution of bidets in Europe is more advanced, the range of fixtures is very broad with more diverse styles, colors and finishes available. However, a large proportion of such fixtures only include three preformed apertures or holes for the mounting of valves, faucets, etc. and thus such fixtures are not readily employed in circumstances, usually new construction, where the Standards Association approvals are necessary. Normally, four apertures or preformed holes are required in bidets to accommodate the pop-up waste control rod, the hot and cold faucets and the diverter valve. Thus, there has developed a need to provide a diverter valve which not only includes a vacuum breaker or back-flow preventer function, but also one which may include a waste or drain control so that it may easily be incorporated into a typical European three-hole bidet fixture, yet still being capable of being employed in bidet fixtures manufactured in Canada and the United States.
At the same time, there is a need for a unit which is easily manufactured, assembled and maintained. Easy access to the assembly once installed is important, since it facilitates easy servicing. Simplicity of construction and operation also play an important role, since this ensures that the level of expertise of the installer, or service personnel need not be high. These factors are also frequently associated with long life. In addition, because of a consumer fashion orientation, products of this type are subject to changes in style and colour. Thus a variety of faucets and valve covers are desirable to offer the consumer. Such desires can only be accommodated effectively with a large and wide range of inventory. Since this is costly for the supplier, any construction or design which would help reduce this burden would be attractive.